Solutions that don’t break the bank, reinvent the wheel or marginalize our teachers are within our grasp. We could have rigorous classes, safe and disciplined schools and treat teachers like valued colleagues rather than easily replaceable cogs, and we could do so tomorrow if we wanted. Disclaimer, this is an opinion and commentary site and should not be confused as a news site. Also know that quite often people may disagree with the opinions posted.

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Sunday, May 31, 2015

The Times Union thinks Teach for America is a benefit, funny most people think they are a liability

The Times
Union thinks having Teach for America in Butler Middle School has led to its
turnaround. If you don’t know, TFA takes non education majors, puts them
through a five week teacher boot camp and then places them in our neediest
classrooms where they serve two years, when they will be replaced by another
one, or you know, the exact opposite of what we know to be best for our
neediest kids. The Times Union somehow thinks this is a good thing as they
listed TFA as one of four other ways Butler is getting help.

From the
Times Union: Teach for America expanded to Jacksonville in 2008 and has about
200 teachers in about 40 Duval schools, the majority of which are in
transformational schools. There are currently seven Teach for America teachers
at Butler and one program alumnus.

Butler also benefits from Kate Beatty, manager of teacher
leadership development, who coaches Teach for America teachers at Butler and
four other middle schools. Beatty is a former corps member at Butler, where she
taught sixth-grade math. Now, her role involves anything from lesson planning
to analyzing data and how to invest in student goals.

Beatty said Butler is a “magical place” and
she would love to be an administrator there. Leadership, she said, can help
motivate, push and coach great teachers to be the best they can be for their
kids. Without that support, she said, the best teachers sometimes don’t stay in
the classroom.

Let’s be honest, the Times Union doesn’t
like nor do they appreciate teachers, they obviously think anybody can just
show up and do the job. Saying TFA is help when those kids need professional
teachers is absolutely ridiculous.